Ouverture: intermediate French follows on from Bon départ: beginners’ French (L192). It revises and consolidates the knowledge of French you already have and teaches more advanced language in the context of French-speaking societies and French culture. Study resources – including printed materials and a variety of online activities – are carefully designed to develop the four language skills of speaking, listening, reading and writing. They provide clear learning objectives, guidance and model answers. This key introductory OU level 1 module also teaches good study skills and language-learning strategies.
What you will study
Ouverture: intermediate French will develop your confidence in understanding, speaking, reading and writing French, whether you want to improve your French for personal or vocational reasons. It offers insights into many aspects of everyday life in modern France, so you should also gain a better understanding of issues that concern French people.
The module consists of:
- A website – that helps you to navigate through the module and pace your study as well as offering you the opportunity to interact with other students both in your own tutor group and across the module. It includes video and audio clips and a wide range of interactive language activities to develop your speaking and listening skills.
- Three books – Livre 1 and Livre 2 form the anchor of the study materials and help you to navigate through them. They also contain activities focusing on practising language structures, grammatical explanations and learning strategies. Pratique de l’écrit focuses on reading and writing skills.
The module covers themes such as Loisirs, Traditions, Communauté, Consommation and Travail. Corrigés are provided and form an integral part of the study process.
Ouverture is an ideal preparation for Envol: upper intermediate French (L211).
This module is designed to enable you to achieve a level of language proficiency equivalent to level B1 of the Council of Europe Common European Framework of Reference for Languages. You will have developed your knowledge and understanding of the language as well as an awareness of cultural diversity in French speaking countries which form a key part of the learning outcomes for studying at this level. By the end of the module you will have developed key OU level 1 undergraduate study skills such as learning to work independently and using strategies which enable you to solve problems and analyse data.
Entry
This is a key introductory OU level 1 module. OU level 1 modules provide core subject knowledge and study skills needed for both higher education and distance learning, to help you progress to modules at OU level 2.
Ouverture requires a working knowledge of French. It is ideal for students who have successfully completed Bon départ: beginner's French (L192), or who have reached a similar linguistic standard. Your knowledge need not be formal, it could come from adult education classes, time spent in French-speaking countries, regular contact with French-speaking people or other sources. You should be able to understand the gist of what native speakers say and to hold a basic conversation in French in everyday situations such as talking about yourself, your family and where you’re from; booking a hotel, or asking for directions. Go to our Language diagnostics website to see some sample materials.
If you have any doubt about the suitability of the module, please speak to an adviser.
Preparatory work
If you have time before the module begins, we suggest that you continue to use your French in any way you can. You could do this by: redoing some of the activities in Bon départ: beginners’ French (L192), (books and audio CDs); using online resources; or watching some films in French. Anything you can do to keep practising your French will be helpful.
Qualifications
L120 is an optional module in our:
It can also count towards most of our other degrees at bachelors level, where it is suitable for a BA. We advise you to refer to the relevant qualification descriptions for information on the circumstances in which this module can count towards these qualifications because from time to time the structure and requirements may change.
Excluded combinations
Sometimes you will not be able to count a module towards a qualification if you have already taken another module with similar content. To check any excluded combinations relating to this module, visit our excluded combination finder or check with an adviser before registering.
If you have a disability
Please note that this module makes substantial use of audio and visual materials. Full transcripts of the audio and video materials are provided, except for those used for assessment purposes. Comb-bound versions of the written study materials can also be provided on request. Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF) versions of printed material are available. The written and spoken elements you will be asked to complete as part of your assessment use audio and possibly visual stimuli. Some Adobe PDF components may not be available or fully accessible using a screen reader and musical notation and mathematical, scientific, and foreign language materials may be particularly difficult to read in this way. Other alternative formats of the study materials may be available in the future.
You’ll need to make extensive use of a personal computer and will need to access the module website on a regular basis. You will also be offered tutorials via an online conferencing system.
Study materials
What's included
Books and as a registered language student you have access to an online forum on the module website where you can communicate with fellow students.
You will need
You will need a headset with a microphone and headphones to take part in online tutorials, record spoken tutor-marked assignments (TMAs) and complete speaking activities.
We recommend that you purchase a good bilingual dictionary, such as the Collins Robert Concise French Dictionary (ISBN 9780007253449), HarperCollins Publishers (£18.99), which you will be able to use throughout your French studies.
Teaching and assessment
Support from your tutor
You will have a tutor who will help you with the study material and mark and comment on your written and spoken tutor-marked assignments (TMAs). You can also ask your tutor for advice and guidance. This module usually includes a mix of face-to-face and online tutorials. Please note that depending on where you live, the mix will vary and in some places face-to-face tuition may be replaced by telephone conferencing. We may also be able to offer group tutorials or day schools. Although you are not obliged to attend any of these, you are strongly encouraged to take part as they will provide you with plenty of opportunities to speak and listen to French. How and where tutorials are held will depend on the distribution of students taking the module.
Contact us if you want to know more about study with The Open University before you register.
Assessment
The assessment details for this module can be found in the facts box above.
You must use the online eTMA system to submit your tutor-marked assignments (TMAs).
The TMAs test your writing and speaking skills. The end-of-module assessment (EMA) is a compulsory speaking test which will be carried out online. You will be given more detailed information when you begin the module.
Professional recognition
The Chartered Institute of Marketing recognises this module under their Continuing Professional Development (CPD) programme.
Future availability
The details given here are for the module that starts in October 2016 when it will be available for the final time. A replacement module French studies 1: language and culture of the French-speaking world (L112) is planned for October 2017.
Regulations
As a student of The Open University, you should be aware of the content of the academic regulations which are available on our
Student Policies and Regulations website.